The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colorful wings flat when resting. They are also called brush-footed butterflies or four-footed butterflies. Many species are brightly colored and include popular species such as the emperor, admirals, and fritillaries. However, the underwings are in contrast often dull and in some species look remarkably like dead leaves, or are much paler, producing a cryptic effect that helps the butterfly disappear into its surroundings. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky with projections on the head, and the chrysalids have shiny spots. Antennae always with two grooves on the underside; club variable in shape. Throughout the family the front pair of legs in the male, and with three exceptions (Libythea, Pseudergolis and Calinaga) in the female also, is reduced in size and functionally impotent; in some the atrophy of the fore legs is considerable, for example, in Danainae and Satyrinae. In many of the forms of these subfamilies the fore legs are kept pressed against the underside of the thorax, and are in the male often very inconspicuous.La familia Nymphalidae cuenta con 5,000 especies de mariposas que se distribuyen alrededor del mundo. Éstas son de porte mediano a grande. La mayoría de las especies poseen un par de patas delanteras reducidas y muchas mantienen sus alas coloridas en forma horizontal cuando descansan. Se las llama también mariposas de cuatro patas o patas cepillo. Muchas de éstas son muy llamativas e incluyen especies como la mariposa emperador, las admirales y las fritilarias. Sin embargo, los enveses de las alas son a menudo apagados y en muchas especies se asemejan a hojas muertas o son marcadamente pálidos, lo cual produce un efecto críptico que ayuda al individuo a desaparecer entre su entorno. Las larvas son peludas o espinosas con proyecciones en la cabeza, mientras que las crisálidas cuentan con manchas brillantes. Las antenas siempre tienen dos surcos en el lado posterior y extremos variables en cuanto a la forma. A través de toda la familia, el par frontal de patas en el macho y hembra (con tres excepciones: Libythea, Pseudergolis y Calinaga) es pequeño y funcionalmente impotente; siendo esta atrofia muy considerable como en el caso de la subfamilia Danainae y Satyrae. En muchas formas de dichas subfamilias tales patas se mantienen presionadas contra la parte inferior del tórax, siendo muy inconspiscuas en el caso de los machos.

Why bilingual? For starters, Spanish is my native tongue. Secondly, English is still the universal language and the blog is meant to be accessible for anyone on the globe who is into Nature conservancy; particularly in getting to know Uruguay's flora and fauna.

"Hunting is merely a cowardly circumlocution for the cowardy murder of fellow creatures who do not have a chance. Hunting is a variant of human mental illness" Theodore Heuss (First president of the Republic of Germany; 1884-1963)

"When I was twelve, I went hunting with my father and we shot a bird. He was laying there and something struck me. Why do we call this fun to kill this creature who was as happy as I was when I woke up this morning?" (American and Canadian football coach, 1925-)

"May I walk unceasingly on the banks of my river, may my soul repose on the branches of the trees which I planted, and may I may refresh myself under the shadow of my sycamore tree".Egyptian tomb inscription, circa 1400 AD

"We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can't speak for themselves such as the birds, other animals and the trees."Chief Edward Moody, Qwatsinas, Nuxalk Nation

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if promontory were... Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls: it tolls for thee".John Donne, English Metaphysical poet (1572 - 1631)